I don't think you have to agree with the "anti-Nashville" feelings to understand it.
1.) Nashville is the establishment -- who doesn't want to rail against the establishment (if they are not part of it).
2.) To outsiders, Nashville looks like a closed shop that just doesn't want anybody else in. Thanks to MAB, we know why that is -- it is all about relationships. Relationships take a lot of time and energy and presence. ... and we know from folks here that outsiders can become insiders.
3.) Outside players (whether Texas, NY, California, Florida and all points in between) have paid a lot of dues to get where they are now. They can't understand that they have to pay their dues all over again in a brand new place. Heck, I have heard this attitude on these pages in the past.
If you were selling out shows, moving a lot of merchandise and have a lot of fans; then you would expect a commercial marketplace to accept you with open arms. The truth of the matter is that if you go to http://www.texasmusicchart.com/Pages/Chart.htm, you see that Cody had 1,300 spins on 75 radio station (in a week, I guess). That's a lot to us -- but how does that compare against any of the top 10 in the current billboard 100? http://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs ;
By the way, I think Me and My Kind is just fine, and I think the energy level is just fine. But maybe when you have heard a 1,000 songs just like that before, it is hard to get pumped up. If I had recorded a tune like that, I would be thrilled, but you have to admit, there is really nothing new and fresh going on there. It is a good ride on well worn, beaten down path.